My heart, O God, is steadfast,
Psalm 57:7-10 NIV
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
This Psalm seems appropriate for the days we live in now. Disaster seems to be lying in wait behind every corner. Pandemic, social unrest, rioting in the streets, a toxic political climate. Is there any hope?
David’s situation was a bit different. But still, he was faced with uncertainty and distressing circumstances. How should we respond when our world has gone crazy?
Responding With Hope
As believers in the Lord Jesus, we have a hope that transcends this world and all of its craziness. So we should be able to echo David’s words here. He starts by proclaiming that his heart was steadfast. His hope was built on the solid rock of God’s love and mercy. A solid rock that does not change with the circumstances. A rock that will be secure through all the storms of life.
And, because of that hope, David could praise the Lord to all he came into contact with. He could sing the praises of the God whose love filled the earth and reached into the heavens.
How should I respond to the crisis of today? In the same way. Fix my hope on the one who transcends this world and its threats and harm. And praise the God who saves, and whose love is sufficient to fill the whole earth.
That does not mean that I ignore the hurts of the world and the people I come into contact with. We should follow Jesus’ example, reaching out and helping those we can. But through it all, we can rejoice in the hope we have. This world is not all there is. Praise God!
